Government gets IMF support to protect the vulnerable

The government has secured the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a minimum level of social intervention programmes to protect the most vulnerable members of the Jamaican society during the 2013/2014 financial year.



“Accordingly, it will, to the maximum extent possible, ensure that allocations to our vulnerable citizens are better targeted,” Governor General Sir Patrick Allen said as he delivered the throne speech at Gordon House today to signal the beginning of the new fiscal year.



Social intervention programmes largely target the poor or people facing financial difficulties. Under such programmes, government may provide, among other things, health care, education, housing and food aid.



Sir Patrick said that efforts will be made to ensure “that we achieve better ratios in terms of what the beneficiaries receive relative to the cost of delivering the benefits to them, and that our service delivery is reflective of much improved quality of customer service and care.”



He said that support from the IMF was negotiated and secured outside of the macro-economic targets.



Sir Patrick also said that a more effective and efficient public sector is essential to the government meeting its macro-economic targets and hence announced several initiatives that will be implemented to make that happen.



These include the conversion of the Revenue Department into a semi-autonomous revenue agency following the recent passage of legislation; the conversion, beginning with the Customs Department, of a number of entities to executive agencies, and giving greater focus to improving the climate of ‘doing business’.



The latter will include simplifying business processes of government, the amendment of some existing legislation and the enactment of new ones, as well as the improved use of technology.



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